5 easy steps to maintaining your pool

Keeping your pool in tiptop shape needn’t be a drag. Follow these five easy tips to stay on top of your pool maintenance.
- byBetter Homes and Gardens

20 Feb
2017

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If you’re lucky enough to have a pool to enjoy, you’ll want to keep it nice and clean to get maximum use out of it. After all, nobody likes to swim in a green pool, right? Regular maintenance once a week should do it.

Scoop out debris

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1. Scoop out debris Don’t let debris such as leaves to sit in the pool too long, as they will eventually breakdown and stain the bottom of your pool. Grab a pool leaf shovel or rake and scoop up the leaves whilst they’re floating on the surface. Removing the leaves first will also make vacuuming the pool easier.

Give it a scrub

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2. Give it s scrub. Give the floor and sides of your pool a regular brush to prevent algae build up. This also keeps the dirt at bay and helps the pool surface smooth. When brushing, turn the pump on, so that any debris will be sucked into the filter, removing it from the water.

Give it a vacuum

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3. Give the pool a vacuum Using the 'vacuum' attachment with a pole (which is generally attached to your skimmer box to create suction), clean the surfaces of your pool. Typically, this will take between an hour and an hour and a half, and you'll need to do it once a week. There is also the option of purchasing a mechanical pool cleaner. There are two types available – pressure cleaners and robot cleaners. Pressure cleaners are more expensive than suction cleaners, however it can be faster than the suction version. Robot cleaners tend to be more expensive than pressure cleaners but are a good option for large pools.

Test the pool

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4. Test the health of your pool Regular sanitisation is important, as bacteria build up in your pool can pose serious health risks. You want to ensure your pool is clean enough to swim in, so you should check the chemical levels once a week. Before carrying out any testing, backwash the filter in the pool. By following the instructions on your test kit, check the pH and chlorine levels and add the recommended amount of acid or chlorine.

Chlorinating your pool

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5. Chlorinating your pool Manual chlorination can be labour-intensive, as it will need to be done every few days for the average pool. Saltwater pools will also need salt chlorinating. Depending on the type of pool you have and budget, there are several ways you can chlorinate your pool, for example there are liquid chlorines, powdered chlorines and chlorine tablets. Tablets make it easy to add chlorine to a pool, as you simply drop the tablet into a dispenser, put the lid on and let it float in the pool. Consult your pool specialist for the best way to chlorinate your pool.